“Eat what we grow and grow what we eat” is a lifestyle that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has been urging Jamaicans to adopt.

There are some Jamaicans, unfortunately, who may find it difficult one to practise as a result of limited or no outdoor land space.   

But the good thing is that having a small yard or outdoor living space does not mean that you cannot have a great garden and be a part of the movement.

There are numerous ways that you can make the most of your small space and transform it into an effective garden area with little work and, in most cases, spending little money out of pocket.

Whether you live in an apartment, housing scheme or have just pavement for a yard or you have a small yard that really doesn’t seem like it would be big enough for a garden, Our Today have composed five wonderful small garden ideas that you can try.

If your desire is to plant vegetables or to create your own herb garden, you are sure to discover a garden idea for your small space in this collection.

Vertical Soda Bottle Garden

For walls or fences, this vertical soda bottle garden is a great way to display your plants and vegetables.

You also get the added benefit of being able to recycle those 5 litre water bottles or 2 litre soda bottles and put them to good use.

The essence of the garden is quite simple. You just cut the side out of the bottles and then add dirt and use that space to plant whatever you want.

This is a wonderful idea that is suitable for herb gardens. You can hang the bottles from the side of the house or your backyard fence right outside the kitchen door so that you’ll have easy access to your fresh herbs.

Garden Bench Planters

Here is another idea. How about building a bench or two, whatever amount can fit into your space. You can then transform these benches into plant holders. You can use an old bench or make a bamboo bench. Bench gardens are great because they create a lot of space, plants can be placed under the benches and also on top off them.

Hanging Tin Can Garden

Old tin cans such as baby formula cans, paint cans or any other form of tin container can be recycled for use in developing your garden area.

If you just don’t possess the space, acquire all of the herbs or vegetables that you desire to plant, you can simply paint some tin cans and use them as planters.

These planters are lovely to hang from fences, trees or even the side of your house. You can create an entire garden from the side of a fence using painted tin cans and they are portable so you can move them about as needed.

Elevated Gardens

Another option is to construct elevated garden boxes and use them throughout your property. These are great if you just don’t have much yard space and you want to keep your garden on a paved area.

Firstly, you’ll need to build the boxes to the height you want. The boxes can be built with legs or without, whichever design you prefer.

Elevated garden boxes are very popular and great for decorating small garden areas. You can even build stackable boxes or do them in different sizes to add some pizzazz to your garden area.

Tire Garden

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get your garden space. You can build one yourself by using an old tire and the great thing is that you can use tires of any size as long as they fit in your space.

Fill the tires with soil and add a few herbs or some green leafy plants inside it and you have a striking backyard garden.

Balcony Gardens

If you happen to live in an apartment and the only outdoor space you have is a balcony, there is no problem. The thing is you can still create a lush garden area that will be gorgeous once your organise it.

You will need to plant in containers but there is no end to the beauty that you can add to your balcony, especially if you mix larger plants with smaller ones.

 You’ll get a beautiful garden area that actually takes up much less room than you may imagine.

Now that you are equipped with these creative ideas, you can start your very own garden. You might want to probably take this on as a Do It Yourself (DIY) project.